As of October 1, 2020, the federal government will require your driver's license or ID card to be Real ID compliant if you wish to use it as identification to board an aircraft or enter federal facilities where ID is required.

Nevada Real ID cards are marked with a gold circle and star cutout in the upper right corner. Non-compliant cards are marked "NOT FOR FEDERAL OFFICIAL USE."

All existing Nevada cards will continue to be accepted until expiration or October 1, 2020, whichever is sooner.

Real ID is an optional program. There are other forms of acceptable federal identification including a passport.

However, The Nevada DMV recommends that residents obtain a Real ID compliant license or ID card at the next renewal or any other change. There is no additional fee.

You need to present proof of identity, proof of Social Security number and two residency documents in person at a DMV office one time only. Make an appointment!

These are generally the same documents you used to obtain your Nevada license or ID the first time. You must show them again, plus two documents that show your Nevada residential address. You cannot obtain a Real ID card online or by mail.

You may upgrade to a Real ID license or ID at any time. The fee is $9.25, $8.25 for an ID card or $13.25 for a commercial license. Other changes of information, such as an address change or name change, may be included with no additional fee. If you are completing other transactions such as a renewal, the normal fees will apply and there is no additional fee to upgrade to a Real ID.

Documents must be valid originals or certified copies that were issued in the United States (except foreign passports). The DMV does not accept photocopies. Documents presented will be scanned and stored.

Proof of Identity

All Applicants

Valid Real ID driver’s license, instruction permit, or identification card from another stateA license or ID that does not meet Real ID requirements is not accepted. A Real ID card marked “Limited Term” is not accepted; immigration documents must be shown.

Valid, unexpired United States Passport or United States Passport Card

Valid Enhanced Driver's License from a U.S. state

Applicants Born in the U.S.

U.S. state-issued birth certificate (original or certified copy)

Applicants Born Outside the U.S.

Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240)

Certificate of Naturalization (N-550)

Certificate of Citizenship (N-560)

Permanent Resident Card (I-551). If the card is expired, you must also present a Notice of Action (I-797) showing an approved extension. The old pink version of the I-551, called the "Resident Alien Card," that contains no expiration date is also acceptable.

Veterans - Honorably-discharged U.S. military veterans may have a Veteran designation placed on their license or ID. Present your DD-214 or other evidence of honorable discharge.

Proof of Name Change(s)

If your document from the list above contains your current full legal name, you do not need to provide proof of any name change. Skip this section.

If not, you must present documentation of any name change(s) with one of the following:

Marriage certificate (government issued)

Divorce decree

Adoption records

Court order

In a case of multiple name changes, you will be asked for marriage certificates or other proof of each change. Divorce decrees must reference the maiden name or former name before marriage.

Upon the death of your spouse, you may change your middle and last names back to the names used prior to your marriage. You must present both the death and marriage certificates and the deceased person's name must match on both.

An updated Social Security card is not sufficient proof of a name change.

Social Security Number

You must provide proof of your Social Security number if one has been issued to you. Documents must list the complete Social Security number.

To apply for U.S. issued proof of identity documents such as birth or marriage certificates, contact the state or county Vital Statistics Office the document was issued. A list is available from the National Center for Health Statistics. You may also use www.vitalchek.com or a similar commercial service.

The DMV does not accept:

Hospital-issued birth certificates

U.S. driver's licenses or ID cards that do not meet Real ID standards (not accepted as a proof of identity document)

The Real ID License or ID Card

No. You receive only one state-issued driver's license or ID card. This may be compliant with the Real ID Act or it may be a standard license or ID. Nevada also issues Driver Authorization Cards to those who cannot meet the Real ID or standard requirements.

A person may hold only one state-issued driver's license or identification card. You may not hold multiple driver's licenses or state-issued ID cards.

No. You may wait until your next in-person renewal or other change to your license such as an address change or a name change.

Existing Nevada driver’s licenses and ID cards will be accepted for boarding aircraft and entering federal facilities until expiration or October 1, 2020, whichever is sooner.

Nevada licenses and IDs marked "NOT FOR FEDERAL OFFICIAL USE" meet the Nevada proof of identity standards and should be accepted as valid identification.

The Real ID Act establishes minimum standards for proof of identity and requires residents to meet these standards one time when applying for a compliant license or ID. In Nevada, proof of identity presented prior to November 12, 2014, is not valid to obtain a Real ID license or ID card.

The Nevada DMV issued compliant licenses marked with a gold star for a brief period in early 2010. These have expired and were replaced with standard licenses upon renewal.

The Department of Homeland Security did not include military ID on the list of acceptable documents for obtaining a Real ID. See Residency & Proof of Identity.

U.S. military ID will continue to be accepted for boarding aircraft and other federal purposes. However, one advantage to Real ID is that most other state DMVs will accept a Real ID as proof of identity for obtaining a driver's license.

No. Most residents are required to provide documents only the first time they apply for a Real ID license or ID card. Permanent residents and limited term residents are required to show their immigration documents at each renewal. In addition, any material changes such as name, date of birth or Social Security number will require documentation.

Yes. You are eligible for a standard driver's license or ID card provided you meet the other proof of identity requirements. You may also be eligible for a Driver Authorization Card. See Residency & Proof of Identity. You are not eligible for a Real ID.

An out-of-state driver's license or ID card that is Real ID compliant is acceptable proof of identity to obtain a Nevada driver's license or ID. If a limited term Real ID is presented, you must also provide a valid immigration document(s). See Residency & Proof of Identity.

Real ID Uses and Enforcement

This or a similar statement means the issuing state offers its residents the option to obtain a driver's license or identification card which is not compliant with the Real ID Act and that the license holder has chosen that option.

These licenses and ID cards meet Nevada proof of identity standards. They should be accepted as identification for all uses. They will not be accepted for boarding aircraft or entering secure federal facilities after October 1, 2020.

A variety of reasons may underlie the choice to obtain a standard license. These include personal preference, religious conviction, or the inability or decision not to provide original documents needed to verify identity, citizenship, or lawful status in the United States.

No inferences or assumptions should be drawn about the particular reason an individual possesses a card with this statement. It does not indicate a person's citizenship or immigration status.

REAL ID only covers state issued identification documents used for accessing federal facilities, commercial aircraft, and nuclear power plants and not for the determination for any specific benefit. Non-federal entities such as banking institutions are outside the scope of REAL ID and have the ability to use state issued identification documents as they deem appropriate.

See the next question for more information.

Yes. Nevada is in compliance with the Real ID Act. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has stated it will continue to accept driver’s licenses and state-issued ID cards from compliant jurisdictions until October 1, 2020. This includes cards marked "NOT FOR FEDERAL OFFICIAL USE."

Beginning October 1, 2020, however, the federal government will require people boarding commercial aircraft using a state driver’s license or ID card to possess a card that meets Real ID standards. A Real ID license or ID will also be required to access federal facilities where ID is required.

Please see the following two web pages for more information at the federal level:

There is no need to visit a DMV office to obtain a Real ID-compliant card until your next renewal or other license change. Any Nevada driver’s license or identification card will be considered compliant by DHS through October 1, 2020. Nevada Driver Authorization Cards are not valid for identification and are not accepted at federal facilities.

No. A Real ID license or ID is NOT required to:

Enter federal facilitates that do not require a person to present identification

Vote or register to vote

Apply for or receive federal benefits

Be licensed by a state to drive

Access health or life preserving services (including hospitals and health clinics), law enforcement, or constitutionally-protected activities (including a defendant’s access to court proceedings)

Participate in law enforcement proceedings or investigations

REAL ID only covers state issued identification documents used for accessing federal facilities, commercial aircraft, and nuclear power plants and not for the determination for any specific benefit. Non-federal entities such as banking institutions are outside the scope of REAL ID and have the ability to use state issued identification documents as they deem appropriate.

No.

No.

Yes. TSA accepts other forms of identity documents, such as a passport or Permanent Resident Card, and will continue to do so. See TSA Acceptable IDs.

The Real ID Act of 2005

Real ID is a coordinated effort by the states and the federal government to improve the reliability and accuracy of state-issued identification documents, which should inhibit terrorists’ ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification. Real ID implements a 9/11 Commission recommendation urging the federal government to “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses.”

Passed by Congress in May of 2005, the Real ID Act was part of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and the Tsunami Relief Act. It is not Nevada law but federal law that sets identification standards for state driver's licenses if those licenses are to be used as identification for boarding an aircraft, entering a federal building where identification is required or entering a nuclear power plant.

The Real ID Act is intended to combat terrorism, identity theft, and other crimes by strengthening the integrity and security of state-issued identification. The Act calls on states to implement a set of minimum national standards in several areas:

Information and security features that must be incorporated into each card